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VOICES FROM PALESTINE
A testimony of ten European volunteers working on the ground
Issue 1
27th March 2003
Introduction
Dear Friends,
We are a group of ten young European volunteers, currently working in different locations in the
historical Palestine through the EVS programme (European Voluntary Service), financed by the
European Commission. The project is organized by the International Palestinian Youth League
under the title Volunteers for a Peaceful Future in the Middle East.
Each issue of Voices from Palestine contains some reports, in different European languages, about
our thoughts, feelings and explanations of what we are experiencing during our voluntary work
here. We are not attempting to undergo a rigorous analysis of the ongoing conflict or of the human
rights abuses that occur in Palestine/Israel but rather, we wish to document the bizarre
contradictions and the different faces of the region (cultural, social, political,...) through different
approaches, always based on our own experiences.
It will be very difficult to establish true peace and democracy in the Middle East in the absence of a
full awareness on the part of the international community of the actual situation on the ground. Due
to our privileged position, we believe that it is our duty to keep as many people as possible informed
about the harsh realities of life here. This is particularly important now that media attention has
switched from Palestine and Israel to Iraq because of the recent outbreak of war in that country. In
this climate, there is every possibility that an escalation of abuses and human suffering will occur.
Our angry voices and our outrage at the injustices that we have encountered, should be taken as
proof of our deep commitment to the establishment of peace, security and justice in the region. It is
our hope that you will carry our messages as far and as wide as possible.
Best wishes,
The volunteers
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Index
●
Reflections from Hebron - Derek Beattie.
Derek is the Irish volunteer taking part in the EVS programme. He has
been based in Hebron, working on a project with children, primarily in
schools in the Old City. In his report, he outlines in a detailed way his
observations and feelings on life in this divided city and underlines the
brutal realities of the Israeli policy of collective punishment. Available in
English.
●
Una celebración Khalili -
Álvaro Zamarreño.
Álvaro comes from Alcala de Henares (Madrid). His hosting organisation
is the Old City Rehabilitation Comittee. In his report, he gives us a
fresh insight into the daily lives of the Hebronites (Khalilis in Arabic),
explaining how he and others celebrated the birth of his colleague's
sons and how he finally managed to deal successfully with the cultural
differences that he encountered. Available in Spanish.
●
Flessibilita` Paradossi e Realta` - Michele Camerota.
Michele is the Italian EVS volunteer based in Baladna, an Arab Youth
association in the Israeli city of Haifa. With excellent and creative
narrative, he highlights his surprise at the important role that people in
this society allocate to history in their daily lives. Moreover,
he outlines the enormous problems of exclusion and marginalisation
that the Arab community inside the Green Line are facing. Available in
Italian.
●
A look to the refugee question - Marie Albert.
Marie is the only member of the group working in a refugee camp. Our
French volunteer is dealing daily with one of the most important faces of
thePalestinian-Israeli conflict. In her first report, she prefers to adopt an
historical approach to the refugee question before going on to discuss
the women's association that she is working with, along with a
description of daily life in Shufat Refugee Camp. Available in English /
French.
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Technical Information.
DEREK BEATTIE - Hebron (West Bank)
Derek is the Irish volunteer taking part in the EVS programme. He has been
based in Hebron, working on a project with children, primarily in schools in the
Old City. In his report, he outlines in a detailed way his observations and
feelings on life in this divided city and underlines the brutal realities of the
Israeli policy of collective punishment. Available in English.
Reflections from Hebron
"I will outline below my opening reflections on life in the divided West Bank City of Hebron, where I
have been based as an EVS volunteer for six months. Firstly, however, I wish to give some
background deatils about this fascinating city before going on to discuss my overall initial
impressions.
Hebron is located about 30 km south of Jerusalem in the heart of
the West Bank. The city has been under Israeli military
occupation since 1967, although the remnants of the Palestinian
Authority are responsible for administration and municipal affairs
in most of the city. However, the Israeli Army makes regular
incursions and also imposes curfews in this area. Hebron has
been divided since 1996 into H1 (the PA semi-ruled sector of the
city) and H2, where approximately 500 militant extreme Israeli
Jewish settlers have lived since they imposed themselves on the
native population in the aftermath of the Six Days War of 1967.
They are protected by 1500-2000 soldiers, while also living in H2
are 40,000 Palestinians. The total population of Hebron is about
140,000.
H2 has been under an almost continuous 24 hour curfew since the beginning of the intifada with a
few brief periods of respite. Since November, this sector of the city has been transformed into
a silent ghetto for 120 consecutive days now, which means that none of the Palestinians living there
are allowed to leave their homes at any time. The Israeli settlers can, of course, roam freely.
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The reality of a strictly imposed Israeli curfew is truly harrowing.
Essentially, the Palestinians, who live in H2, have been prisoners in
their own homes for four months. On regular walks through the Old
City, located in H2, I have seen several people looking out from
their windows, particularly children. The Israeli definition of a curfew
states that these people are not even allowed to do that. Seeing all
these people unable to leave their homes leaves one with a deep
sense of guilt- Palestinians in their own country unable to venture
outside, while foreigners can wander around freely.
(PHOTO: children under curfew in H2 area. By Monica Leiva)
I will never understand the rationale behind a policy of collective
punishment. Nobody denies that militant Islamic groups, such as Hamas, are active in Hebron but
Israeli policy will only ensure that it will gain more and more of a following. If people have difficulty in
understanding the motivations of a suicide bomber, they should come to Hebron to witness the
oppression, brutality and misery that is inflicted upon the Palestinian people.
The sad reality is that the everyday brutalities inflicted upon the Palestinian populace and the culture
of violence that surrounds the Israeli military presence has left a visible impact on the next
generation of Palestinian society. Children all over Hebron play with plastic guns; it is the ubiquitous
'toy' in this city. Considering what I have seen i.e. the effects of a brutal Israeli occupation, it is easy
to understand why.
My first encounter with an Israeli settler came at an army checkpoint. They are allowed to carry guns
and are frequently present beside the soldiers at the various checkpoints around the city. The
aggressiveness of the settler population is most strikingly in evidence through the behaviour of their
children. Stones, bottles of urine and an array of missiles are aimed at Palestinian locals, as well as
unwelcome internationals, including our EVS group. The settlers either live in large apartment
complexes or in small family apartments on top of their Palestinian neighbours, which have been
stolen from local Hebronites, forcibly occupied or built on the ruins of demolished Palestinian
homes.
Most of the Palestinian shops and
houses in this ghost town have had
graffiti sprayed on them. The Star of
David is prominent but there are also
many slogans written in Hebrew and
English, such as 'All Arabs are Dogs'
and 'All Arabs should be Killed.’ It is
impossible not to compare such scenes
with the images almost everyone is
familiar with from Nazi Germany, where
Jewish shops and homes were
identified in a similar manner but in this
instance, it is the Jewish settlers, who
are inflicting misery upon people who have lived here all their lives. (PHOTO: racist graffittis on one
of the closed Palestinian shops in the H2 area, near one of the Israeli settlements. By Majdi Daana).
Such behaviour on the part of the settlers is only the tip of the iceberg, however. Most of the shops
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in the old city area(which are of course closed) are protected by wire mesh and a poorly constructed
wide roof type structure. Such measures were taken by Hebron Municipality because many of the
Israeli settlers, who live in the area, would regularly throw human faeces, urine, and everything you
can imagine on top of the traders and their customers. Old fridges, and other missiles are easily
visible on top of this mesh, as one strolls through the old city.
The most depressing thing about Hebron is the plight of the children living under curfew. Many are
unable to go to school (Hebron university and the local polytechnic have also been closed for the
past couple of months). Roadblocks and closed streets mean that the traditional route to school of
many a child is blocked. The option of travelling to school by passing through an army checkpoint is,
of course, not feasible. Many
children, therefore, climb over the
roofs of houses to get to school
and I have seen a ladder, which a
Palestinian woman has put in place
to help the children get off the roofs
and head on to school. All of this is
done at great risk. These students
are strictly speaking breaking the
curfew and run the risk of being
beaten up (which does regularly
happen to those who throw stones)
or at worst shot at. (PHOTO: a
child encounters soldiers at one of
the many army checkpoints located in Hebron. By M. Leiva).
Many Palestinian men and women also dare to break the curfew to get food, visit friends and family,
etc. as the soldiers are not always visible everywhere in H2. Locals are frequently detained for
violating the curfew. Israeli occupation army tactics also ensure that Palestinians can never be
certain of the exact status of a curfew. A loosely enforced curfew will often encourage people to take
risks that they otherwise would not take, only for them to be caught out, when the Israeli Army
decides to strictly enforce the caged like existence of Hebronites. Leaving H2 to enter a curfew free
H1 is quite surreal. You leave a place characterised by an eerie silence and enter a bustling market
area, thronged with people, sometimes seemingly oblivious to the suffering of their fellow citizens,
only a short distance away.
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In the past five days, the Israeli Army
has imposed a strict curfew over the
entirety of Hebron. All schools have
remained closed and the streets are
deserted apart from a few brave
Palestinians, who venture out in the
mornings to buy supplies from the
handful of shopowners who take the
risk of opening- with doors half closed
and the lights switched off.
And there are always many children,
unable to go to school, who vent their
anger at the occupation forces by
throwing stones. Several new roadblocks have been erected, making travel inside the city virtually
impossible. Jeeps, tanks and APC’s are patrolling the main streets on a regular basis to enforce the
closure and rounds of tear gas have been fired at the aforementioned children. The effects of such
an inhumane policy have been to further demoralize an already dispirited populace. (PHOTO:
children observe and throw stones at a bulldozer that is attempting to erect a roadblock in Einsara
street in H1 area, during the curfew. In the background, it is possible to see a tank approaching. By
M. Leiva).
Apart from parts of Gaza and many refugee camps, Hebron really is as bad as it gets in Palestine,
so anybody looking for an impartial account of the situation and of the current nature of the
whole conflict is probably not going to get it from someone, who is primarily based in this divided
city. However, it is possibly the best example of the destructiveness and brutality of Israeli
expansionist policies. Aggressive settlers and an oppressive military presence combine to produce a
concrete illustration of the real source of conflict in Palestine. Five hundred people have been
granted total freedom of the city centre, while 140,000 Palestinians are deprived of their basic rights
and human dignity. Hebron offers decisive proof of the continuing existence of apartheid in the
twenty first century."
Hebron, 22 March 2003
ÁLVARO ZAMARREñO - Hebron (West Bank)
Álvaro comes from Alcala de Henares (Madrid). His hosting
organisation is the Old City Rehabilitation Comittee. In his
report, he gives us a fresh insight into the daily lives of the
Hebronites (Khalilis in Arabic), explaining how he and others
celebrated the birth of his colleague's sons and how he
finally managed to deal successfully with the cultural
diffrences that he encountered. Available in Spanish.
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Una celebración Khalili
"Cualquier persona sensata y con un mínimo conocimiento de la realidad política internacional,
podría pensar que Hebron es algo así como la última esfera de los infiernos de Dante. La mayoría
de las imágenes que llegan al resto del mundo sobre esta ciudad son bastante elocuentes. No solo
nos dicen que es una ciudad destruida y violenta, sino que sus gentes deben tener pocos motivos
para la alegría.
Mis primeras experiencias en esta ciudad fueron, en cambio, bastante diferentes. Apenas llevaba
allí unas semanas cuando Khamed, el Ingeniero Residente del Comité de Rehabilitación, me invitó
a la celebración por el nacimiento de sus gemelos. Hacia tan solo dos semanas también nos había
invitado a todos a su casa para celebrar su regreso de la peregrinación a la Meca, que coincidió con
la celebración de la fiesta musulmana del Sacrificio.
Para mi fue extraño, pues estoy acostumbrado a que los bautizos sean celebraciones
ceremoniosos, familiares, el tipo de fiesta a la que no se invita a un extraño. Así que la mañana de
la ceremonia no sabía como iba a ser aquello, que iban a hacer, o si había que llevar algún tipo de
regalo.
Intenté vestirme con lo mejor que el equipaje de un voluntario en Palestina puede tener, lo cual no
es demasiado decir. Pero cuando vi como iba vestida el resto de la gente, empecé a sospechar que
aquello no iba a parecerse remotamente a mi idea de un bautizo. Mis compañeros llevaban la ropa
normal de todos los días, y no tenían aspecto de ir a nada muy protocolario.
El lugar de la ceremonia era una especia de nave acondicionada para servir de salón de comidas.
Nada mas entrar, el vestíbulo se dividía en dos, a un lado la zona para hombres, al otro para
mujeres. En la que me correspondía, esperaba el padre de los gemelos, vestido en traje y
recibiendo a los invitados personalmente. Una vez dentro, había una antesala con sillas y tras
felicitar al padre, pasabas y te sentabas allí, junto con el grupo con el que habías venido. Allí podías
charlar con el resto de los invitados, algo que yo apenas podía hacer dado que, además de ser un
completo extraño, mis nociones de árabe eran bastante limitadas.
Una vez que había llegado la gente de tu grupo, por ejemplo los miembros de tal o cual rama
familiar, los compañeros del trabajo, etc. te levantabas con ellos y pasabas al otro extremo de la
sala, en el que había una serie de mesas sencillas, como todo el mobiliario. El único elemento
decorativo era una especie de cortina con diseños geométricos muy coloridos que separaba la parte
de las mujeres de la nuestra, y que llegaba más o menos un poco más arriba de la cabeza.
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Los grupos se sentaban en las mesas, pero no todos
simultáneamente, sino que unos llegaban y otros
marchaban, durante un periodo de unas dos horas.
La comida se servia en unas fuentes ovaladas, una
para cada dos personas, y consistía en una especie
de ‘macluba’, el plato mas tradicional de la
gastronomía Palestina, a base de arroz y carne de
ternera. Esto se adereza con yogurt caliente, que
además de ser delicioso ayuda a aligerar el arroz,
que tiene un sabor muy fuerte. (PHOTO: a
cook successfully manages the task of turning
the macluba upside down, so that it is ready to
eat. By M. Leiva.)
Como en toda comida a la que uno es invitado en
Palestina, uno tiene que ser muy cuidadoso con los
‘tiempos’. Si come demasiado rápido, tendrá que ver
como su plato es incesantemente vuelto a llenar, y por mucho que ruegue, nadie le librara de
tenérselo que acabar de nuevo. Menos mal que tras una gran dosis de macluba, que todos
terminan en poco mas de diez minutos, le espera, ya de pie y fuera de este salón, un digestivo café
al estilo árabe. El estomago lo agradecerá, y el paladar mas aun si uno se lo toma rápido, pues
normalmente no tiene azúcar.
El final de la ceremonia lo marca la despedida del padre y los familiares mas allegados, que
permanecen con él en el vestíbulo.
Cuando salimos de la sala y volvimos a montar en el coche, me di cuenta de un insignificante
detalle. Había estado en lo que yo consideraba el equivalente a un bautizo musulmán, y me había
ido sin tan siquiera poder ver lo más importante: los recién nacidos!."
Hebron, 19 March 2003
MICHELE CAMEROTA - Haifa (Israel)
Michele is the Italian EVS volunteer based in Baladna, an Arab Youth
association in the Israeli city of
Haifa. With excellent and creative narrative, he highlights his surprise at
the important role that people in this society allocate to history in their daily
lives. Moreover, he outlines the enormous problems of exclusion and
marginalisation that the Arab community inside the Green Line are facing.
Available in Italian.
NOTA di l'AUTORE: "Provero`a scrivere soprattutto con la testa e con razione... se
mai ci riusciro`... Staro` attento a non far venire fuori le parole solo dalla mia
immaginazione e dalla mia penna virtuale. Ho un “target” ben preciso cui inviare
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questo report e cui magari dare qualche consiglio e dritta per la sua futura
esperienza attiva in Terra Santa, in particolare in Israele. Sta per iniziare la
guerra... al massimo due-tre giorni ancora... senza alcuna speranza di
ripensamenti... era gia` stata decisa da lungo tempo... ed ora sta cominciando
per davvero! Non ne parlero`, tranne qualche inevitabile cenno.
Un`ultima cosa... forse come primo report e` un po` troppo lungo.. mi avevate
chiesto max una pagina... ma state tranquilli.. non ne scrivero` tanti!"
Flessibilita` Paradossi e Realta`
"...che tu sia in Israele o in Palestina (leggi Territori Occupati), ti svegli la mattina
e tutte le volte il tuo primo pensiero, spesso la mia prima domanda quando
arrivo nella sede di Baladna (io di solito sono l`ultimo ad arrivare... ma molto
spesso anche l`ultimo ad andar via!!), l`associazione ove presto il mio servizio,
e`: che cos`e` successo? Non importa quando... se ieri, l`altro ieri, stanotte o
stamattina... non importa esattamente quando... giusto tutto il tempo che il tuo
corpo era lontano da un computer e dal suo schermo, i tuoi occhi non
leggevano notizie, le tue orecchie non ascoltavano resoconti e rotocalchi di
attentati, rappresaglie varie e guerre in allestimento... Sempre solo lo stesso
tempo che la tua mente era fuggita a sognare ed a parlare del mondo per quello
che non e`... e si era arenata nell`ozio di un sonno o di un riposo... nel piacere
di un incontro vivo... ondo per quello che non e`... e si era arenata nell`ozio di un sonno o di un
riposo... nel piacere di un incontro vivo...
In Italia, nella nostra Europa, ti svegli la mattina e molto spesso il tuo primo
pensiero, il primo programma, la tua prima domanda, riguarda il giorno che
sara`... quello che hai davanti... lasciandoti alle spalle il passato di ieri e l`altro
ieri... rincorrendo il futuro che non si sa... Un paragone magari per qualcuno non
appropriato, per me importante, per arrivare a dire che qui, in Terra Santa, “il
passato conta proprio tanto”. Cosi` tanto conta quello che e` accaduto ieri, l`altro
ieri, due anni fa, dieci anni fa, sedici anni fa, trentasei anni fa, cinquantacinque
anni fa, ottantasei anni fa... via via fino a 2000 anni fa... e poi tremila anni fa... “il
passato conta proprio tanto”. Non sono “anni fa” buttati li` a caso e se qualcuno
ha voglia e pazienza di fare i conti partendo dal 2003 e sottraendo mano a
mano i “fa” suggeriti si trovera` delle date, precise.
Tappe fondamentali che segnano il destino odierno di questa Terra in cui oggi
mi trovo... e tutti gli altri insieme a me. Anni ineludibili per chi intende “cercare di
cercare di capire” quello che qui avviene! E se mai riuscirai a capire, ancora piu`
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difficile cercare di prevedere quello che domani puo` accadere.
A prescindere dall`imponenza del passato e venendo al presente, per tutti noi
ben piu` importante, ogni giorno di vita in Israele e Palestina si programma
spesso con quello che e` accaduto e sta accadendo, con gli eventi della politica,
con la musica stonata di fucili e carri armati, con il rumore assordante di
un`esplosione che puo` capitarti sotto gli occhi... e fortunatamente fino ad ora
non ancora sotto il culo!
Ora, in questi giorni come mai, ogni giorno e`un giorno, aspettando questa
guerra ormai alle porte... che gia` da mesi si rimanda... ma in fondo in West
Bank e Gaza Strip la guerra, non convenzionale, c`e` di gia`! Intanto si aspetta...
e fiduciosi si va avanti... perche` le guerre non riusciranno mai a cancellare
completamente il passato... spesso loro insito e profondo intento.
Veniamo a me persona e alla mia esperienza sino ad ora.
Partito da Brussels il 7 di Febbraio ero supposto andare a “volontarizzare” a
Rahat, nel Negev, tra gli Arabi beduini... invece eccomi qui ad Haifa, altro
mondo.. altra storia, altra vita, altre compagnie. Flessibilita`, imperativo
categorico per chi verra`in Terra Santa per un periodo che non sia troppo
breve... tutto puo` cambiare all`improvviso, cominciando proprio da quella che tu
pensi sara` la tua destinazione.
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Negev, la regione piu` a sud di
Israele e geografico naturale
prolungamento del gia` conteso a
lungo deserto del Sinai... Negev,
sinonimo di beduini, nomadismo e
transumanza, sedentarizzazione
forzata, usi e costumi differenti dagli
stessi Arabi e di certo dagli Ebrei...
credenze musulmane con singolari
interpretazioni dello stesso Testo
Sacro... Negev, dove circa l`80% dei
villaggi popolati da Arabi-beduini non
godono di riconoscimento
governativo e, di conseguenza, sono
totalmente privi dei piu` basilari e
necessari servizi di prima utilita`:
elettricita`, acqua, fognature, scuole,
ospedali, ecc. Ben Gurion, il padre
fondatore dello Stato di Israele nelle
sue memorie scrisse “se lo Stato non
fermera` il Desrerto, il Deserto fermera` lo Stato...”. E` proprio quello che e`
accaduto e ancor piu` prepotentemente oggi sta accadendo... Negev, pochi
giorni fa un aereo israeliano sorvolava i suoi sopravvisuti ma gia` pochi fertili
campi a predominanza ancora beduina, dispargendo sostanze chimiche allo
scopo di cancellare ogni speranza e possibilita` futura di iniziare colture su quei
campi arabi-li(!)... senza nemmeno considerare che su quei campi c`era gente a
lavorare che da li` dovrebbe trarre il proprio cibo. Un ulteriore incitamento a
partire, lasciare quella terra sgombra e pronta per il capitale dello Stato, per i
pionieri jewish gia` ampiamente qui diffusi, per i prossimi migranti attesi...
Mentre disparge gas e “chimicita`” varie, il governo israeliano distribuisce
maschere anti-gas ai propri cittadini allertandoli della possibilita` che Saddam li
voglia avvelenare... con le armi e i mezzi che e` supposto avere... che nessuno
riesce a trovare... ma di cui forse qualcuno ha conservato le “ricevute” ed e`
quindi sicuro che ce l`abbia!!! Negev, un chiaro progetto e fine politico che
anche li` non ci sia piu` posto per nessuno e per niente che non sia “Made in
Jewish”. Cio`che conta e` che gli Arabi, i beduini, se ne vadano... per propria
scelta o per scelta indotta da politiche discriminatorie ed omicide che mirano a
costringerli all`unilaterale resa. (PHOTO: a Bedouin child stands in the Negev
desert in Khashm Al-Daraj, in the district of Hebron. By Joss Dray, from "The
Dream of flying" calendar 2002).
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Salendo verso Nord,
attraversando
Gerusalemme e poi Tel
Aviv, in poco piu` di tre
ore, si giunge ad Haifa,
“solare citta`” della
costa settentrionale
israeliana. Haifa, il piu`
importante porto
commerciale e base
armiera di Israele, dove
e` anche custodito quasi
tutto il potenziale
chimico.. qui vicino anche Napoleone pianifico` una base da cui guardare,
penetrare e dominare il Medio Oriente...vedendo infrangere i suoi sogni nella
vicina Akko. Haifa, niente soldati per le strade, niente moschee che scandiscano
le ore, se parli Arabo va bene e no scalpore e indignazione... ma se parli
Hebrew e` sempre meglio e nemmeno il pensiero del terrore! Haifa, “modello
della coesistenza” arabo-israeliana. (PHOTO: Akko harbour. By M. Leiva)
Mitzna, l`attuale leader laburista ne era il sindaco prima di andare a sfidare, lo
scorso fine gennaio, Sharon e i suoi alleati... sventolando questo modello... di
ancora non ho capito che? (Che bravo Mitzna, peccato solo che come Sharon,
come Barak, Peres, come il tanto compianto Rabin, prima di occupare la
comoda poltrona su cui oggi siede... e` stato anch`egli un fiero generale
dell`esercito crociato (di David)... Peccato che lui e tanti suoi colleghi politici
arrembanti, per dire cio` che pensa e per essere dov`e` oggi... abbia dovuto
prima macchiarsi di tanto sangue Arabo e Palestinese... e allora si che e`
rispettato ed e` votato!) “.
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Haifa modello”... di che? Ah si,
ora capisco, di assimilazione
evanescente, di lenta
affermazione del principio che
“la morte lenta, controllata e
dosata”, diretta come un regista
il suo film, come le sanzioni
all`Iraq da Usa e Regno Unito,
facciano meno scalpore e
producano migliori risultati
piuttosto che la violenza pura e
cruda... cui si assiste giornalmente in West Bank e Gaza Strip. Haifa, dove la
marginalizzazione ed esclusione del 20% circa di arabi-palestinesi che la
abitano e` scandita con leggi inique e verticali, con benefici da cui essi sono
esclusi ed espropriazioni edili e sopraffazioni culturali di cui loro sono il “target”.
(PHOTO: graffitti in an Arab quarter of Haifa, with a Hamdala, symbol of
solidarity with the Palestinian refugees. By M. Leiva).
Negev... Haifa... oltre ad avere
un valore ed un significato
personale, questo paragone
puo` forse rendere l`idea di
come la situazione in Terra
Santa, una piccola regione del
Medio Oriente (26.000 Kmq. di
terra... poco piu` della Toscana)
cambi radicalmente in base al
luogo in cui ti trovi.... ma proprio
radicalmente, sotto ogni punto
di vista: sociale, culturale, etnico, religioso, ecc. ecc. Un motto dice:
“Gerusalemme per pregare, Tel Aviv per ballare, Haifa per lavorare”.(PHOTO:
an Arab bakery in Haifa. By M. Leiva).
Al di la` dell`inutilita` della maggioranza delle generalizzazioni che tutti, chi piu`
chi meno, siamo portati ad utilizzare, mi sento di dire che questo motto davvero
un po` si addice alla realta` all`interno di Israele ed in parte spiegare i forti
paradossi, contrasti e diversita` infinite che in questo fazzoletto di terra si
riscontrano quotidianamente.
Ci tengo a precisare che mi sono attenuto prettamente a cio` che accade e vedo
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accadere in Israele, all`interno della cosiddetta Linea Verde, linea di confine
immaginaria tra due auspicati Stati, tracciata nel `48 ma che non hai perso il
dono della mobilta` perpetua!
Non sono entrato nel merito della situazione che quotidianamente scandisce la
vita in Cisgiordania e nella Striscia di Gaza... che i miei sdegnati occhi hanno
pur visto. A questo ci penseranno, sicuramente meglio di me, i miei compagni e
colleghi che stanno prestando il loro servizio ad Hebron e a Gerusalemme e
dintorni."
Haifa, 17 March 2003
MARIE ALBERT - Shufat Refugee Camp (Occupied East Jerusalem)
Marie is the only member of the group working in a refugee
camp. Our French volunteer is dealing daily with one of the
most important faces of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In her
first report, she prefers to adopt an historical approach to
the refugee question before going on to discuss the women's
association that she is working with, along with a description
of daily life in Shufat Refugee Camp. Available in English /
French.
A look at the refugee question
"Today historical Palestine (under the British mandate) is divided into the state of Israel (established
in May 1948), and the West Bank (including Eastern Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip, which Israel
occupied in 1967. Palestinian cities, villages, and most of the 19 official refugee camps in the latter
areas were transferred to a self-governing Palestinian Authority in the 1990s. This area, however,
remains under Israeli occupation with the bulk of the land area under full Israeli military control.
The Palestinian refugee case is the largest and one of the longest standing refugee cases in the
world today. More than 6 million people (this includes 3.8 million refugees and their descendents
expelled in 1948 and registered for humanitarian assistance,1.5 million refugees and their
descendents displaced in 1948 who did not need assistance and are therefore not registered,
260,000 internally displaced Palestinians and 750,000 refugees and their descendents displaced for
the first time in 1967), comprising around three-quarters of the Palestinian people (one in three
refugees world wide is Palestinian) remain without a durable solution to their plight.
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Some twenty years
later, the United
Nations Security
Council adopted
Resolution 242,
calling upon Israel
to withdraw from
the territories it
occupied in the
1967 Israeli-Arab
war, including east Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Several hundred thousand
Palestinians, including the 1948 refugees, were displaced during the war and have been denied the
right to return to their homes and lands in these territories due to Israel's continued military
occupation. Again, only a very small number of Palestinians have been able to return through a
policy of family reunification. These territories comprise only 22% of the land of British
mandated Palestine. The United Nations has repeatedly affirmed the right of self-determination of
the Palestinian people in these territories. General Assembly Resolution 338, adopted in 1974, for
example, reaffirmed the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the
inalienable right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and lands from which they were
uprooted (PHOTO: children playing in the streets of Ayda refugee camp in Bethlehem. By M. Leiva).
So we can say that there are :
- Palestinian refugees displaced in 1948 outside the areas of historic Palestine that became the
state of Israel, - internally displaced Palestinians who remained within the areas that became the
state of Israel, - and the Palestinian refugees displaced for the first time in the 1967 war from the
West Bank and Gaza Strip.
For more than five decades, Palestinian refugees have been barred from returning to their ancestral
villages and homes and more than half of all Palestinian refugees lack day-to-day protection, such
as physical security, freedom of movement, and access to employment. The majority of Palestinian
refugees, however, live within 100 miles of the borders of Israel in neighbouring Arab host countries
(Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon).
According to international law, refugees have the right to return to their homes of origin, receive real
property restitution, and compensation for losses and damages. These rights and solutions are
accepted norms of international law and refugee practice and have been implemented in numerous
other refugee cases, such as Bosnia, Kosovo and East Timor (UN resolution 194). The return of the
refugees would therefore constitute a bridge to peace.
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Actually some people in
the USA are trying to
lobby the UNRWA (United
Nations Reliefe and Work
Agency-United Nations
agency that deals
with Palestinian
refugees) because the USA is
funding 30% of the annual
budget of UNRWA. If the
American Congress refuses
to allocate this money to
the UNRWA (which is already
have a serious financial
problem by the end of March
2003) it will be very difficult
for it to take care of Palestinian children, among whom levels of malnutrittion (according to a
UNRWA rapport) are in many cases the same as those in Congo or in Zimbabwe. (PHOTO: children
in the Ayda refugee camp, Bethlehem. By M. Leiva).
In conclusion, I would like to include an extract from a poem, written by Dan
Almagor, an Israeli literature teacher, well-known in Palestine on account of his
theatre pieces. He wrote this poem after he visited Nablus, in the north of the West
Bank, for the first time:
La plu part de ces gens désirent vraiment
Faire la récolte de leurs oliviers
Comme ils l'ont fait pendant des cent aines d'années.
La plu part de ces gens désirent vraiment élever leurs enfants
Non pa sà jeter des pierres
Ou des cocktails Molotov,
Mais à étudier en paix,
Jouer en paix,
Et brandir un drapeau.
Un drapeau.
Leur drapeau.
Et face à ce drapeau, pleurer,
Comme nous l'avons fait, cette nuit-là, alors, tout excités que nous étions.
Et nous n'avons aucun, n'avons aucun, n'avons aucun
Droit au monde
De leur voler ce désir.
Ce drapeau,
Ces larmes,
Ces larmes qui viennent toujours, toujours
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Après toutes les autres.
Commençons à préparer notre défense.
Nous en aurons besoin assez vite.
Tous ceux qui l'ont vraiment fait.
Et ceux qui le font encore.
Et ceux qui se taisaient,
Et ceux qui le font encore.
Et ceux qui n'ont rien dit
Et ceux qui gloussent, disant
«Quelque chose doit être fait, vraiment;
(Mais pas ce soir. J'ai un concert,
Un gala,
Un anniversaire!) »
Oui,nous serons tous appelés à comparaître un jour
Aux procès des Colonels.
Les procès des Colonels arrivent,
Leur temps viendra, il doit en être ainsi.
Les procès des Généraux, des Colonels,
De la division, du bataillon,
Et des sous-officiers.
Impossible d'y échapper.
C'est ainsi que l'histoire travaille.
Que dirons-nous alors?
Que diront les colonels, les capitaines, les caporaux?
Que diront-ils
De ces terribles tabassages,
La Brutalité,
Des maisons détruites,
Et plus que tout, l'humiliation.
Cette humiliation.
Des malades obligés de nettoyer les écrits sur les murs.
Des vieillards obligés de descendre un drapeau
D'un pylône électrique
Qui on tété électrocutés, ou sont tombés
Et se sont cassé les jambes.
De ce vieux porteur d'eau
A qui des soldats ordonnèrent de descendre de son âne
Et s'amusèrent de lui, pour le plaisir.
Nous prêtons une oreille sourde.
Nous prêtons un cœur sourd.
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Méchants, arrogants,muets.
Qui croyons-nous être?
Qui nous a donné le droit
D'être aussi sourds, aussi muets?
Ignorant l'évidence : Ils sont aussi humains
Que nous, aussi humains que nous.
Au moins aussi humains que nous avions l'habitude de l'être.
Il y a seulement quarante-et-un ans.
Pas moins zélés, pas moins intelligents
Aussi sensibles, aussi remplis d'espoir.
Il saiment leurs femmes et leurs enfants
Comme nous les aimons, pas moins.
Et nos enfants maintenant tirent sur les leurs
Avec des balles en plomb, en caoutchouc, et des gaz.
L'Etat palestinien sera.
Il sera.
Ce n'est pas un poète qui l'a écrit.
C'est l'Histoire qui l'écrira.
Et des saisons arriveront, et des saisons s'eniront,
Et la vie continue comme tous, très bien, nous les avons.
Mariages, et naissances, et morts, toujours pareilMais seulement la honte de cela. La honte."
Poeme de Dan Almagor
We Shoot Children Too, Don't We
Texte anglais : http://www.umassd.edu/specialprograms/mideastaffairs/shoot.ht
Traduction : Mireille Delamarre
Jerusalem, 19 March 2003
Technical Information
Voices from Palestine is an initiative of the EVS volunteers in Palestine 2003.
IPYL, YAP and the European Commission are not responsible for the opinions and thoughts expressed in the
reports above.
Please, if you reproduce any part of the reports or any pictures, quote the source and the author.
More reports will be soon available at www.yap.org.
For any comments you can contact us trough [email protected].
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